Stormwater diversion project bears further scrutiny

Day 1 of Torrey Pines Road Construction: Scenes from noon, Friday, March 1, 2013 show motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists making it through the maze on Torrey Pines Road between Park Row and Little Street in La Jolla. It’s all for an estimated two-month-long stormwater diversion project. (Photo by Daniel K. Lew)

Day 1 of Torrey Pines Road Construction: Scenes from noon, Friday, March 1, 2013 show motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists making it through the maze on Torrey Pines Road between Park Row and Little Street in La Jolla. It’s all for an estimated two-month-long stormwater diversion project. (Photo by Daniel K. Lew)

Day 1 of Torrey Pines Road Construction: Scenes from noon, Friday, March 1, 2013 show motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists making it through the maze on Torrey Pines Road between Park Row and Little Street in La Jolla. It’s all for an estimated two-month-long stormwater diversion project. (Photo by Daniel K. Lew)

Day 1 of Torrey Pines Road Construction: Scenes from noon, Friday, March 1, 2013 show motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists making it through the maze on Torrey Pines Road between Park Row and Little Street in La Jolla. It’s all for an estimated two-month-long stormwater diversion project. (Photo by Daniel K. Lew)

OPINION: Letter to the Editor

Thank you for highlighting the new, very dangerous traffic configuration along Torrey Pines Road in your March 7, 2013 issue. I am sure many in La Jolla were caught by surprise by the relocated traffic lanes since the city gave no advance notice, not even to those with driveways along the impacted section who have to risk their lives to pull into traffic.

Hopefully, everyone will drive slowly enough to reduce the danger. The whole stormwater diversion project along Torrey Pines Road seems to have proceeded without appropriate notice or public review, and is most likely illegal as it will dry up over 500 feet of year round streams, diverting naturally flowing water to which adjacent landowners have riparian water rights including aesthetic enjoyment.

Diverting this water except during periods of high flow will increase downstream erosion and siltation of the adjacent ocean which is a federally designated Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS). Animals and plants that rely on this water will be affected, and we should also expect an increase in mosquitoes and West Nile Virus as the remaining water stagnates.

The city is making no beneficial use of the diverted water, and it appears that the ASBS supports an abundance of wildlife with the streams in their existing condition.